News Brief: Twitter Musings, Women Vets, Unequal Rights

July 1, 2010

Twitter Musings In Syria Elicit Groans In Washington
6/29/10
New York Times: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton praised two State Department employees for their efforts at “21st-century statecraft.” In the end, the trip may prove most useful as a lesson in the risks of using social media as a tool for diplomacy.
How We Fail Our Women Vets
6/30/10
TIME: The VA, which did not even start providing medical and mental-health services to women until 1988, is struggling to add resources and train its staff to handle the growing case file of female vets.
Equal Rights for Women? Survey Says – Yes, But…
6/30/10
New York Times: People around the world say they firmly support equal rights for men and women, but many still believe men should get preference when it comes to good jobs, higher education or even in some cases the simple right to work outside the home, according to a new survey of 22 nations.
Samsung Targets ‘Ladies’ for New Netbook
6/29/10
Wall Street Journal: Facing stiff competition in cellphones and flat-screen TVs, Samsung Electronics is hoping that its bet on low-cost netbooks will pay off with its latest model, the N230, which began selling in Europe this week and will be available in the U.S. from early July.
As Fourth at Supreme Court, Kagan Goes Gender Light
7/1/10
Women’s eNews: The three women who came before Elena Kagan on the Supreme Court carried a bright torch for women's rights. In this news analysis, Sharon Johnson sees Kagan as more of a mainstream power broker, with no gender strings attached.
The Kagan Hearings: Gags, God, Guns, and Gays
6/29/10
The Media Consortium: Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings kicked off on Monday. Her nomination has been met by glum resignation on the left and indifference on the right, as Adam Serwer notes in the American Prospect.
Elena Kagan shows off sense of humor in confirmation hearings
6/30/10
Christian Science Monitor: Elena Kagan is as guarded as any other Supreme Court nominee about her views on specific cases. But she is winning over senators anyway – by drawing giggles, laughs and even some outright guffaws from the lawmakers.
Right-Wing Groups Use Decline Of White Birthrates To Stoke Fear Of Homosexuality, Feminism And Abortion
6/30/10
Alternet: Declining birth rates -- and aging populations -- is a phenomenon that is of concern to countries around the globe. Conservatives have taken to using “demographic winter” as a catchphrase for turning the discussion into another battle in the culture war.
The Border Is More Secure Today Than Ever Before -- Now What?
6/29/10
Alternet: In response to repeated calls for “securing the border,” the Center for American Progress released a new report stating that the border is more secure than ever; what’s needed now to further secure the border is comprehensive immigration reform.
Sharron Angle: Rape, Incest Part of God's Plan -- Opposes Abortion No Matter What
6/30/10
Alternet: For most of her campaign for U.S. Senate, Nevada GOP nominee Sharron Angle's election strategy has consisted of avoiding reporters so she doesn't get tricked into saying things publicly. Last night's interview on Jon Ralston's "Face to Face" is one of the few times since winning the GOP nomination that Angle has braved a media outlet that was not a wingnut blog or Fox News.
Mukhtar Mai in Jamshed Dasti’s crosshairs
6/30/10
Tribune: In an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, Mukhtar Mai, an iconic character who came to the limelight for her brave fight for justice after being gang-raped, has alleged that MNA Jamshed Dasti is threatening her family through his emissaries to withdraw the case or face dire consequences.
France Makes 'Psychological Violence' A Crime
6/29/10
New York Times: The French Parliament gave final and unanimous approval on Tuesday to a law that makes “psychological violence” a criminal offense as part of a law intended to help victims of physical violence and abuse, especially in the home.
Campaign Intensifies In Iran To Spare A Kurdish Activist
6/29/10
New York Times: As reports circulated Tuesday that Iran was preparing to execute a 27-year-old Kurdish activist, the campaign to save her life intensified, with a prominent opposition figure publicly urging the authorities to show compassion.
Rwanda's Children Of Rape
6/29/10
BBC: Whether Rwanda's children of rape are able to escape its stigma will be, perhaps, a measure of how far the country itself has managed to put its violent past behind it.
Congo Leaves Legacy Of Sexual Violence Against Women
6/30/10
Christian Science Monitor: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, sexual violence has become so common that the eastern provinces are sometimes called "the ground zero of rape."
The Afghan Women Jailed For 'Bad Character'
6/29/10
BBC: Many of the women inside prisons in Afghanistan have been accused of “moral crimes.”
India's City Of Widows
6/30/10
Guardian: Financial aid is crucial to widows wanting to lead a self-sufficient life, but the government has failed to provide it. If a woman is not financially independent, she is at the mercy of her in-laws and her parents. And if they do not have the will or resources to take care of her and her children, she will be treated like an "untouchable".
Men "Less Engaged In Work Than Women"
6/30/10
Reuters: Men in Britain are less engaged in their work compared with women until the final years of employment when they get a late surge of enthusiasm, according to a survey.
FDA 'Ella' Approval Faces Anti-Choice Pressure
6/30/10
Women’s eNews: A new form of emergency contraception, effective for five days after unprotected intercourse instead of three, recently pulled through initial FDA hearings. Supporters are worried, however, about continued protest and problems.
Sixty-Six Year Old Mom Has Triplets, Enrages Critics
7/1/10
Jezebel: Today this morning featured Bhateri Devi, a 66-year-old woman from Hisar, India who just became a first-time mom. Cue the judgment!
GM Salutes ‘Damsel’ Designers
6/30/10
New York Times: General Motors presented “Designing Women,” a candid glimpse of the influence of women automotive designers within the automaker, on Monday at the Museum of the City of New York. It was held in conjunction with the “Cars, Culture and the City” exhibition, on view at the museum until Aug. 8.
Undefeated Boston Militia Looking To Stake Claim As Women Football's Best Team
7/1/10
NESN: Look out, Patriots. There's another football dynasty brewing in New England. The Boston Militia, a team in the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL), are undefeated and getting set to face the D.C. Divas for the Eastern Conference championship on July 10.